Baltimore County police are warning residents, especially older people, to be aware of deception burglaries in which the culprits pretend they're someone they're not.

Police said more than 20 elderly county residents have fallen victim to deception burglaries since early April in neighborhoods all around the area, from Bel Air in Harford County to Dundalk in Baltimore County.

Officials said most of the burglars approach the victims and claim they're from the county government, the water department or Baltimore Gas and Electric. They tell the victims that they need to do some type of inspection, and they distract the victims while another suspect goes into the home and steals money, jewelry and other valuables, detectives said.

"They'll say, 'Let's check the water,' and 'Let's go down to the basement.' One will be downstairs to turn on the water while they have the victim downstairs with them, and then whoever else they have with them goes upstairs and starts looking in their personal belongings and stealing either jewelry, money or whatever they can find," Baltimore County police Cpl. Christine Sisk said.

Officials said in some cases, the burglars have worn bright yellow traffic vests and showed identification badges.

Thieves are also waiting in shopping centers and following senior citizens to their houses.

"They'll follow elderly people home from a parking lot and say either, 'You hit my car,' or (say the victim) did some type of damage and tell them that they have to pay and they won't get the insurance company involved, and when the elderly person goes inside to get the money, they'll see where they're holding the money," Sisk said.

To keep from being fooled by deception burglars, police offered these tips:

Don't allow uninvited repair workers into your home, especially if they want to fix something that you have not noticed is a problem (ex- a leaky roof).

Do not allow anyone to lead you anywhere in your home or on your property. This can leave other areas of the home unsecure so that a thief can access those areas.

If someone claims to be at your home for an inspection, ask for identification and contact their company prior to allowing them into your home.

Keep doors locked when possible to prevent anyone from entering your home while you are outside the house.

Call 911 immediately if someone attempts to enter your home or you suspect someone is attempting a deception burglary.

Watch for people offering services in your community and make sure to write down a description of the individuals and their vehicle, including a tag number.

Older residents and those living alone are often targeted, so keep in contact with your neighbors to ensure they are not victimized.

Always research companies before hiring them to ensure that they are legitimate companies with a good reputation.

Report any suspicious persons, vehicles or activity to police immediately.

Police are still investigating the deception burglaries that have already happened but need the public's help. Anyone with information on any of the cases should call detectives at 410-307-2020.